Purifying and lint removing method and apparatus for cleaning solutions



1957 G. w. BONNEY 2,807,948

PURIFYING AND LINT REMOVING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SOLUTIONSFiled May 11, 1953 (I) l 0. 11 .m

Transformer and Recflher 0. n g W H I \r' v I 1 I N N 1 Q I l S I F:

INVENTOR.

Gorge W. Bonney A TTOR/VE Y United States Patent George W. Bonney,Riverton, Wyo.

Application May 11, 1953, Serial No. 354,347

2 Claims. (Cl. 68-13) This invention relates to cleaning solutions andtheir use, such as the solutions used in the cleaning system of a drycleaning plant for the cleaning of fabrics, garments and the like. Manyof these cleaning solutions contain a soap substance to aid in removingdirt, grease, etc. from the material being cleaned. As the solution isused in the cleaning apparatus there is formed from the soap, and alsofrom other substances cleaned from the fabrics such as a grease, certainfatty acids. These fatty acids produce odors which are undesirable andas they accumulate it is necessary to change the solution. The solutionis generally cleaned by passing it through a steam still process,whereby the fatty acids are removed, together with the undesirableodors.

Also during the cleaning process for the fabrics whereby the dirt,grease and other substances are removed, particles and minute fibers ofthe material are removed which is commonly called lint. Some of thislint goes into the solution, but other clings to the garment beingcleaned. I believe this clinging is caused by the presence of staticelectricity which has been created by friction, action between relativemovable or rubbing substances, such as the fabrics against each other oragainst substances in which they may be contained, as bags or againstother substances such as parts of the cleaning apparatus through whichthe fabrics pass during their cleaning process. Along with the clingingof the lint to the fabrics or other articles being cleaned there is anaccompanying clinging of dirt and foreign material that is desired to beremoved from the garments or other articles by the cleaning process.

The reason for the clinging of dirt and other foreign material is, to myunderstanding, caused by such being locked in by the clinging lint andthe clinging of the lint results from static electricity caused bysubstances having different charges of electricity. Regardless of thetheory of what is taking place to hold the lint, dirt and other elementsdesired to be removed from the fabric, the fact remains that all lintand all dirt and other substances are not removed by present drycleaning processes. Consequently, the fabric, garment or other articleis not fully cleaned and comes from the cleaning process in other than adesired fully cleaned condition, free of lint.

It is my belief that all of these unsatisfactory cleaning results flowfrom the presence of static electricity during the cleaning process andI have discovered that by eliminating the presence of static electricityall the fabrics, garments, etc. will be cleaned in a surprisinglysatisfactory manner not before possible. Also, by eliminating the staticelectricity in my particular way, I have discovered that the cleaningfluid can be maintained in a purified condition free of accumulation ofundesirable odors.

Therefore, one of the objects of my invention is to eliminate theharmful presence of static electricity in a cleaning system forgarments.

Another object is to eliminate the clinging of lint on fabrics, garmentsand other articles being cleaned by a cleaning process wherein theclinging is caused by the presence of static electricity.

Yet another object is to eliminate, by draining ofl, static electricitywhich may be present during the cleaning of fabrics, garments andarticles, by the use of a cleaning solution and thereby aid in thefreeing of lint, dirt and other undesirable substances from the fibrousmaterial being cleaned and thereby produce a cleaner article.

Still another object is to eliminate odors from cleaning solutions andthereby so purify the solutions that they may be employed for cleaningpurposes for a longer period without the necessity of removing thesolutions from use, while other commonly used methods are separatelyemployed to recondition the solutions for continued use. Still.additional objects are to so condition a cleaning system for fabrics,garments and other articles that the cleaned material will be cleaner,free from lint, the cleaning solution will be used longer with lessexpense in purifying, less soap will be employed as well as less filterpowder in the system, the cleaning solution will do a better job, andthe cleaning of the articles passing through the system will take ashorter time.

With these and other objects in view, I have disclosed and am describinga particular apparatus embodying, by way of example, my inventionwhereby an improved method is carried out to accomplish the desiredresults.

In the drawing the single figure is a schematic view of a dry cleaningsystem having associated therewith a static electricity eliminatingcircuit for accomplishing my new and unexpected results, said figurealso showing a rotating dryer employed in removing cleaning solutionfrom a fabric or other dry cleaned articles with said dryer also havingassociated therewith the static electricity eliminator whereby lint andundesirable particles are caused to be prevented from clinging to thefabric or other articles being dryed.

Referring now to the figure in detail, the dry cleaning systemdisclosed, by way of example as having associated therewith myinvention, comprises a combination washer and tumbler W of generalcylindrical form having a housing 10 provided with an access door 11.Within the housing is a rotatably mounted washing and tumbling cylinder12 into which the goods to be cleaned are placed. This cylinder isperforated, as shown, and may be driven in any suitable manner as by thepulley 13 on the end of its mounting shaft 14. The cleaning solution isindicated at S and fills about one-half of the washer.

In order to clean the solution its bottom is connected to a lint trap Tby a pipe 15. From here, by suitable piping 16 and a pump P driven by amotor M, the solution to be cleaned is transferred to a filter tank F.This filter is of well known construction, having therein filter bags 17of fabric mounted on an outlet pipe 18 at its bottom, said pipe leadingback to the washer W. Suitable filter powder is employed with the bags.Also valves, as shown, can be employed to control the flow of thesolution.

As the cleaning system just described is used, soap erein begins todeteriorate and fatty acids are formed which produce undesirable odors.The odors become noticeable in a few days and as cleaning continues,such odors become stronger. The fatty acids and resulting odors are notremoved by passing the solution through the filter tank, as this onlyremoves the dirt, lint, etc. from the solution. When the odors becometoo strong, the solution must be put through a steam still and followedby suitable filters to remove the acids. This is, of course, expensiveas it requires additional equipment and is also time consuming. Theodors from the fatty acids are highly objectionable and as they developthe quality of cleaning becomes poorer or less. eflicient. With thecleaning system employed, lint is always present in the washer andbecause of created static electricity resulting from garment rubbing andalso contacts from relatively moving parts. Because of the staticelectricity, the lint clings to the garments and other articles beingcleaned. This clinging lint locks in dirt, grease and other foreignsubstances in the weave of the fabric and prevents the thorough cleaningdesired.

In accordance with my understanding, I have discovered that the fattyacid odor can beeliminated by eliminating the polarity thereof that isneutralizing the electrical charge of its particles. I can accomplishthis by connecting the apparatus of the cleaning system into a lowvoltage direct current circuit, preferably one in which the directcurrent is of the pulsating type. I have also discovered. that byproperly connecting the cleaning apparatus in this type of electricalcircuit that all static electricity can be eliminated from the garments,etc. being cleaned and also from the solution, with the result that amarked superior job of cleaning can be accomplished, and further alldanger of explosions removed which might occur from a sparking caused bya build-up of a charge of static electricity which has a negative andpositive charge, as is well known.

My circuit which I connect to the cleaning system shown in the figurecomprises a suitable source of electricity. which may be regular 110 A.C. from a commercial source. This A. C. electricity I connect to atransformer and rectifier setup of known construction to produce a lowvoltage pulsating type of direct current. The transformer and rectifierare indicated in a box form with the letters TR.

The produced pulsating D. C. electricity is now connected into thecleaning system to produce a circuit. As shown, one conductor 19 bybranch conductors is connected to the washer and tumbler W at two pointsbelow the solution level in order to produce the desired circuitsthrough the solution. The other conductor 20, to completethe: circuit,is connected to the filter F at two points, one being at the bottomwhere the filtered matter is concentrated and the other at the top ofthe filter where the solution enters to pass through the filter bags. Asthe solution circulates during cleaning, the cleaning apparatus isconstantly connected into the low voltage circuit and consequently thesolution is constantly carried into contact. with the metal of thecleaning apparatus, which will have a. definite polarity.

I have discovered that the fatty acid has a definite polarity and as itcontacts the metal thepolarityof' the fatty acid is neutralized. Byneutralizing the polarity of the fatty acid, I have discovered that theobjectionable odors no longer exist. I assume that this theory iscorrect, but; regardless of the theory involved, I' do know that:theobjectionable odors no longer exist, being fully eliminated. Testsshow that a solution which has been used for 30 days showed noobjectionable odor which, prior. to. the installation of a systemembodying my invention, showed odors after three or four days.

With my D. C. current circuit, I have also discovered that I' haveeliminated static electricity from the system and its destructivepossibilities. As garments and like articles move through the cleaningapparatus, woolen fabrics, rayons, etc. rub together and against othersubstances such as container bags. Consequently, static electricitydevelops. The positive and negative charges on the garments includinglint, etc., result in the usual attraction relation and consequentlywith the lint having an opposite charge from that ofthe garment, ittends to cling to the garment. The result is detrimental, as thisclinging; iolds in the dirt, grease'and other foreign matter that isdesired to be freed from the garment forgood' clean ing: it the. dirt,etc. are not removed, a goodcleaning job is not done.

With my low voltage circuit connected to the cleaning system there isprovided a path through which the static electricity can be removed ordrained off" from the cleaning apparatus. With this leaking ofi of thestatic electricity, the negative and positive charge conditions nolonger exist and consequently the lint will not have an attraction tothe garment and be held in the weave thereof. With this freeing of thelint it no longer is functioning to lock in the dirt, grease, etc. inthe weave of the fabric and, therefore, the solution will effectivelyfree it. The result is a very well cleaned garment free from lint. Testsshow that fabrics, garments, etc. cleaned by apparatus connected into mycircuit are surprisingly cleaner than by the usual method, free fromlint and really have a new look.

Thus, I have accomplished with my invention embodied in a cleaningapparatus two distinct results, one of which is the purification, orrather the preventing of the putrifying, of the cleaning solution, andthe other is the obtaining of a better cleaning job whereby the cleanedarticles are free from lint and really cleaner. More dirt, grease andforeign materials have been removed. Furthermore, all danger fromexplosion has been removed. By eliminating or leaking off the staticelectricity charge, apotential can not build up to produce a sparkcausing any explosion.

Also shown in the figure is a dryer D of the tumbler type wherebygarments can be put in a rotating perforated cylinder 21 and anyremaining cleaning solution in the garments removed by the action ofcentrifugal force. This tumbler rotates at a not too high speed andunder most conditions hot air can be blown through the dryer. As thesolution is removed, there is also created additional lint from thecentrifugal action. If static electricity is not removed during thedrying and tumbling action, the lint will continue to cling to thegarments or accumulate below the cylinder 21. Eventually, negative andpositive charges will be so built up that in the event of sparking, anexplosion will occur when the solution used is of the type that itsvapors will be explosive.

As shown in the figure, I connect the dryer D into the same circuit asthe cleaning system. This provides a circuit which removes the staticelectricity and all its detrimental effects and possible harmfulconditions. The tumbler is connected in parallel with the circuit of thecleaning system, although a separate circuit may be provided if desired.As shown, a conductor 22 is con-- nected to the single bearing 23 of thetumbler shaft and a conductor 24 from the bearing completes the parallelcircuit. With this circuit all static electricity is given a path toflowfrom the dryer and thus its harmful conditions are eliminated.

In the circuit, if it is desired to control the voltage and current,lamps 25 can be inserted therein as desired.

I am aware that my method and apparatus can be modified to fitconditions and the circuit can be established in a manner other thanthat disclosed, all without dcparting from the fundamental principles ofmy invention. Therefore, I do not intend that the scope of the inventionbe limited in any manner except in accordance with the terms of theappended claims and equivalents thereof to which I am entitled.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dry cleaning system, a fabric receiving ap paratus having arotatable member for containing and tumbling fabric articles and ahousing for said member and also containing a cleaning solution, asource of low voltage direct current electricity, and means forconnecting the apparatus to the source of electricity so to establish acircuit in which the rotatable member is a part and current will becapable of passing through the solution in the housing, a filter forcleaning the solution associated with said apparatus,.and means forelect connecting one terminal of the source to the filter whereby 5 acurrent path exists in the filter at least below the solution levelduring filtering operations.

2. In a dry cleaning system, a fabric receiving apparatus having arotatable member for containing and tumbling fabric articles and ahousing for said member and also containing a cleaning solution, asource of low voltage direct current electricity, means for connectingthe apparatus to the source of electricity so as to establish a circuitin which the rotatable member is a part and current will be capable ofpassing through the solution in the housing, a filter for cleaning thesolution associated with said apparatus, means for electricallyconnecting one terminal of the source to the filter whereby a currentpath exists in the filter at least below the solution level duringfiltering operations, a dryer associated with said apparatus 6 andfilter for drying the fabric articles, and means for connecting thesource of electricity to the dryer during the drying operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS672,074 Burton Apr. 16, 1901 857,027 Burton June 18, 1907 1,020,828Jones Mar. 19, 1912 OTHER REFERENCES Lopez et al.: Amer. DyestuffReporter, Feb. 18, 1952, pages 105-109. See pages 106 and 107particularly.

